Two years after being embroiled in the controversy associated with the Sandy Lane Barbados Gold Cup, the Kittitians are back.
When the first nominations for the 32rd running of the Gold Cup closed on Friday at 4 p.m at the offices of the Barbados Turf Club, three overseas entrants were among 16 horses to have paid up.
Daislyn Sharp-owned Bad Action will join Trinidad and Tobago’s Just Call Me Roger, which is owned by Paul Mouttet.
Both horses competed in the 2011 edition and finished down the field.
Should Bad Action face the starter, it will be his third Sandy Lane Gold Cup, an event where he has never earned a place position.
Ironically, in his only start after his last Gold Cup, he travelled to Trinidad and Tobago and recorded a workmanlike victory in the Imported Turf Stayers Challenge over 1 800 metres on the (wet) Santa Rosa Park main track.
There is an unknown sort in the five-year-old American-bred named Modimo, who is fathered by Kafwain, out of Shesoneinamill and is owned by Lewin Godding, of Nekitta fame.
Barbados’ team is spearheaded by defending Gold Cup winner Dancin David and 2011 winner Zoom. Completing the 16 are Apostle, Aristodemus, Daga, Discreetwon, Erados, Giovedi, Graeme Hill, Kendal Moon, Little Man Arran, Shared Adventure and Show Me The Money.
In 2011, the Kittitians had three representatives on the card and for this year, they have paid up for six horses.
Joining the Kittian contingent will be Bachhaus, which is also owned by Daislyn Sharpe and Vicuna, owned by M.S Stable. They are among nine horses entered for the tenth running of the Sandy Lane Spa Sprint Stakes and Trophy over 1 100 metres.
The others to have paid for this event so far are: A.P. Vincero, Chimichurri, Iamsogroovy, Purr Class, Shared Adventure, Slip Stream and Vitality.
They have also shown a keen interest in the 11th Tanglewood Stakes and Trophy for West Indian-bred four-year-old and over horses over 2 000 metres by nominating three horses – all Jamaican-bred and owned by M.S. Stable, namely Esquire, Oasis and Odin.
The above trio competed at the first Caribbean Nations Racing Challenge at Santa Rosa race course in Arima, Trinidad and Tobago with little success.
For the first time, this race has attracted the most entrants of the three features with 18 nominated.
Former winner Zoom (2009) leads the local attack which includes two Derby winners in Kendal Moon (2011) and Bandera Bella last year, Aston Martin, Cinnamon Jane, Dunwiddat, Erados, Island Memories, Lady Quill, Local Speed, Meteorite, Open Secret, Roars, Show Me The Money and Summer Time.
Second nominations for the Caribbean’s biggest horse race closes on February 8 at the BTC offices with final entry fees due on February 2 at 10 a.m.
